Why Comments Like “Panadol and Tylenol in Pregnancy Causes Autism” Are So Dangerous

I still remember ten years ago, when our son was diagnosed with Autism and Hyperlexia, sitting with the paediatrician as he gave us the first of several diagnoses our family would eventually receive.

Years later our oldest would ask to be assessed as she saw similarities in the way her brain navigated the world.

It’s funny once our kids were diagnosed many people in my family (many who are engineers) have said things like. Oh, that’s so like me… I wonder if I am autistic as well. 

I love the way my children’s brain works, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I would love to change the world for them though, make the world nicer, more understanding, more accepting.

My son has a unique way of seeing patterns, details, and connections in everyday life that is fascinating.

That’s why comments and claims like “Panadol in pregnancy causes autism” are not only misleading, but deeply harmful. 

There is a long history of Blaming mothers, not just for autism.

Every so often, a new headline or viral post emerges, suggesting that autism is the result of something parents did, or didn’t do. 

Over the years, mums have been unfairly blamed. In the 1940s, the so-called “Refrigerator Mother” theory claimed autism was caused by mothers being emotionally cold and unaffectionate. Later, the focus shifted to other supposed causes, such as maternal stress during pregnancy, vaccinations, or even a mother’s diet and lifestyle. Headlines have claimed that gaining too much, or not enough weight while pregnant could somehow lead to autism. 

One of the more recent examples? The claim that taking Panadol (paracetamol) or Tylenol during pregnancy leads to autism.

Not only is this kind of claim misleading, but it’s also deeply harmful. Here’s why:

It fuels unnecessary guilt in parents

As a mum of four children. Let me know there are enough things we feel guilty about. Are they eating right, are they playing outside enough, watching the right shows, are we helping them enough with the homework, are we helping them gain independence, are we supportive. The list goes on. 

The truth is that autism is not caused by a single tablet of Panadol or eating too much pasta and putting on weight in the second trimester. Suggesting otherwise unfairly heaps blame on mothers, who are already doing their best.

For me, I didn’t even take Panadol in pregnancy. I probably should have as I Suffered Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) through all four pregnancies but battled on through it.

My children’s autism isn’t the result of a packet of pain relief. And if I had taken it? Why should that mean I carry the extra weight of guilt over something that is not my fault?

The real problem with these statements is, it discourages pregnant people from looking after themselves

Panadol is one of the safest, most widely used medications recommended in pregnancy for managing pain and fever. When scare campaigns circulate, they can stop pregnant women from taking it even when they need to.

Untreated high fever, unmanaged pain, or stress on the body can be far more harmful to both mother and baby. Spreading fear about safe, approved medicines puts people at risk.

See the timelines don’t add it.

Autism was first diagnosed in Donald Triplett in 1943, however there are documented cases in the 1700’s of people with symptoms that modern researchers believe was case of autism. Hugh Blair 1747, and The Wild boy of Averton (1798) Now Panadol (paracetamol) wasn’t widely given until the 1950s. Tylenol wasn’t invented until 1955 

Autism existed before Panadol. That fact alone should make us pause before adding guilt to mums.

Now Autism is not something that needs a “cause” and reason.

The push to blame something, anything, for autism assumes it’s a problem that must be prevented. I understand that not everyone’s journey is the same. I understand how hard it is for neurodivergent people to fit into how society expects them to. But autism is a neurodevelopmental difference. Autistic people have always existed, long before modern medicine.

Instead of chasing false causes, our focus should be on acceptance, support, and creating a world that understands and values everyone, no matter their differences and similarities.

The real danger of claims like “Panadol causes autism” isn’t just misinformation though it’s the damage they do to families and to pregnant people’s health. 

They add unnecessary guilt, create fear, and distract from what really matters: supporting children, supporting parents, not blaming them.

As a mum, I want to raise my children in a world where autism isn’t seen as a tragedy, a mistake, something we need to explain away. But as a part of who they are. Fear and blame don’t help anyone. 

Love, understanding, and support is the answer.